MARINE CHEMIST:
PROTECTING PEOPLE,
PRODUCTIVITY, PROPERTY,
AND PROFIT
Presented by: Robert R. Rodriguez, CMC #730
ROBERT R. RODRIGUEZ,
CMC #730
• Marine Chemists of
Galveston, LLC
• Special Endorsement for
Flammable Cryogenic Liquid
Carriers
• University of Houston – Clear
Lake Graduate 2014
• Bachelor of Science
Environmental
Management
WHAT IS A NFPA CERTIFICATED MARINE
CHEMIST?
NFPA Certificated Marine Chemist (or Marine Chemist) is a
trained professional who is responsible for ensuring that
repair and construction of marine vessels can be made in
safety whenever those repairs might result in fire, explosion,
or exposure to toxic vapors or chemicals. By virtue of his or
her training, experience, and education, the Marine
Chemist is uniquely qualified as a specialist in confined
space safety and atmospheric sampling or monitoring.
DEFINED IN THE STANDARD
FOR THE CONTROL OF GAS
HAZARDS ON VESSELS, NFPA
306 AS:
“The holder of a valid Certificate issued
by the National Fire Protection
Association in accordance with the
“Rules for the Certification and
Recertification of Marine Chemists,”
establishing the holder as a person
qualified to determine whether
construction, alteration, repair, lay-up,
or shipbreaking of vessels can be
undertaken with safety.”
BRIEF HISTORY OF MARINE CHEMIST INDUSTRY
• In the US, combustible/flammable liquids have been transported on marine vessels since we
became a nation.
• Throughout our history, our shipping industry has experienced its share of accidents related to the
transportation of such dangerous cargoes.
• Following WWI, US flagged vessels transported large quantities of combustible and flammable
products in bulk, as dangerous cargo and fuel carrying capacity increased on vessels, so did the
risk of fire and explosion during repairs in shipyards.
• There was a concern shown by the tanker industry and supported by the (insurance) underwriters,
a concern to protect their investments and reduce their liabilities.
• At the time, NFPA was the preeminent body concerned with safety from fire and explosion and it
generated all the fire safety standards which the insurance industry employed in its business.
• 1922, the original standard was developed by the NFPA Committee on Marine Fire Hazards in
cooperation with the NFPA Committee on Flammable Liquids
BRIEF HISTORY OF MARINE CHEMIST INDUSTRY CONT…
• 1922 – The first 25 Marine Chemist were certified by American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
• 1947 – NFPA adopted the Standard for the Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels (NFPA 306)
• 1959 – Dept. of Labor and USCG express concern about shipyard safety
• 1970 – OSHA Act passed, Safety Standards for Shipyard Employment enacted (29 CFR 1915)
• 1982 – Marine Chemist training curriculum is published
• 1988 – NFPA 306 is completely revised
• 1994 – OSHA 29 CFR 1915 Subparts A (General Provisions) & B (Confined and Enclosed Spaces and
Other Dangerous Atmospheres in Shipyard Employment) are revised
• 2005 – OSHA creates Fire Protection in Shipyard Employment, 29 CFR 1915 Subpart P
• 2019 – NFPA 306 edition revised to align more accurately with USCG and OSHA regulations that
affect waterfront facilities, shipyards, and facilities engaged in shipyard employment
HOW MANY ACTIVE MARINE CHEMIST?• Breakdown
• 1 Female Marine Chemist
• 96 Male Marine Chemist
• Atlantic Coast Section
• Includes – Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S.
Virgin Islands
• Gulf-Inland Section (Inland Waters)
• Includes – Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee
• Gulf-Inland Section (Gulf Coast)
• Includes – Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas
• Pacific Coast Section
• Includes – California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Japan, Philippines
Jeff Zile, CMC #700 Amy Liu, CMC #706
WHY DOES THE MARITIME INDUSTRY NEED MARINE CHEMISTS?
• A crude oil tanker has discharged its cargo, cleaned its tanks, and is in shipyard for hot work
repairs to its cargo tanks: How can workers be sure that the vessel is safe for repair?
• Workers in a shipyard prepare to enter the tank of a tank barge that has recently off-loaded its
cargo of benzene: How can they be certain there are no residual crude oil vapor or no traces of
benzene remaining in the “empty” cargo tanks?
• A USCG Marine Inspector needs to inspect a cargo compressor room on a liquefied petroleum
gas (LPG) tanker: How can the USCG Marine Inspector be sure there is no toxic or flammable gas
in the compressor room?
• A marine surveyor from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) needs to inspect the damage to
a ballast tank that is adjacent to an inerted cargo tank: How can the marine survey inspector be
sure that the ballast tank is not oxygen deficient?
• A National Cargo Bureau inspector needs to search for insects in a cargo hold that has been
fumigated and will carry grain on its next voyage: How can the agricultural inspector have
confidence that the atmosphere in the grain hold is safe to breathe?
HOT WORK
• Many bulk liquid cargoes
(currently on the vessel or
previously carried on the
vessel) and certain work
procedures present higher
degrees of hazard
• “Hot Work”, which is any fire-
producing or spark-
producing operation that
produces temperatures high
enough to act as a source
of ignition to a flammable
vapor mixture, for example,
always carries some risk of
fire and explosion
WHO REQUIRES A MARINE CHEMIST
TO BE USED?
U.S. Coast Guard Regulations
• 46 CFR 35.01-1(c)(1) – Subchapter D, Tank Vessels
• 46 CFR 71.60 -1 (c)(1) – Subchapter H, Passenger Vessels
• 46 CFR 91.50 - 1 (c)(1) – Subchapter I, Cargo & MiscVessels
• 46 CFR 109.573 – Subchapter I-A, Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU)
• 46 CFR 115.710 (b)(1) – Subchapter K, Small Passenger Vessels (> 150 passengers or overnight > 49 passengers
• 46 CFR 126.160 (c)(1) – Subchapter L, Offshore Supply Vessels
• 46 CFR 146.665 (a)(1) – Subchapter M, Towing Vessels
• 46 CFR 167.30-10 (c)(1) – Subchapter R, Nautical Schools
• 46 CFR 176.710 (b)(1) – Subchapter T, Small Passenger Vessels (<100 gross tons)
• 46 CFR 189.50-1 (c)(1) – Subchapter U, Oceanographic Research Vessels
WHO REQUIRES A MARINE
CHEMIST TO BE USED?
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)
• Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations
• §1915.14 – Hot Work
• (a) Hot work requiring testing by a
Marine Chemist or Coast Guard
authorized person.
• In complying with both USCG/OSHA Regulations, the Marine Chemist applies
the requirements contained in National Fire Protection Association’s
Standard for the Control of Gas Hazards on Vessels, NFPA 306.
• The Standard (our “Bible”) describes conditions that must exist in confined
spaces and areas aboard a marine vessel where the potential for hazardous
oxygen concentration, accumulation of combustible gas and/or toxic vapor
exist before the work can be done.
• The survey by the Marine Chemist verifies conditions necessary to carry out
the work, are satisfied BEFORE THE WORK IS STARTED.
• The work of the Marine Chemist combined with maritime regulations and
standards comprise a practical and effective systems approach to safety of
life, limb, and property within the maritime construction and repair industry.
DUTIES OF THE MARINE CHEMIST
• Recognition
• Responsible for providing recognition of the spaces that present
hazards to workers during entry or work. Hazards might result from
any number of conditions. Examples: difficult entry or egress,
unnatural ventilation, and/or the actual or potential presence of
atmospheric contaminants.
• Spaces most likely to present hazards include: Engine Room &
Machinery Spaces, Bilges, Pump Rooms, Fuel & Cargo Tanks, Ballast
Tanks, Cofferdams, Wing or Void Tanks
• Confined spaces can be deficient in oxygen, they can contain
flammable or toxic contaminants, residual liquid, solid residues or
scale that has the capacity of regenerating hazardous conditions.
DUTIES OF THE MARINE CHEMIST• Evaluation
• Involves the real-time monitoring of the confined space to determine the atmospheric level of oxygen, flammable vapors, and toxics within the spaces. The Marine Chemist compares the results of monitoring and measuring with the guidelines provided in NFPA 306, USCG 46 CFR, and OSHA 29 CFR.
• These guidelines are a quantitative analysis of the atmosphere which include:
• Oxygen – standards require at least 19.5% by volume and no more than 22% by volume (Normal air contains 20.8% oxygen by volume which is what we really want)
• Flammability – less than 10% of the lower explosive limit (LEL)
• Toxicity – less than permissible concentrations; that is, either the level set by OSHA called the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) or the level set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), which is called the Threshold Limit Value (TLV), or other published occupational exposure limit
• A qualitative survey (visual inspection) of the confined space where the Marine Chemist looks for residues (cargo or fuel), preservative coatings and/or other potential hazards.
DUTIES OF THE MARINE CHEMIST
• Control
• Any action taken to eliminate or minimize a hazard that has been recognized and evaluated. Control of hazards which have been recognized and evaluated presents great difficulty for the Marine Chemist and the industry as whole. All too often, the cause of confined space accidents has been failure to control to maintain safe working conditions throughout the duration of the prescribed work.
• There are 3 types of Control:
• Engineering – The most common form of engineering is ventilation
• Administrative – Include training, standard operating procedures or safe work practices, and permit systems that authorize work and entry.
• Personal Protection – Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), considered the last method of choice, because it means the hazard hasn’t been removed or eliminated. Instead of making the space safe for the workers, the workers have been made safe for the space.
TYPES OF EQUIPMENT
• MSA Altair 5x Multi-gas Meter
• Used to detect
• O2 - Oxygen
• CO – Carbon Monoxide
• VOC’s – Volatile Organic Compounds
• H2S – Hydrogen Sulfide
• LEL – Lower Explosive Limit
• Sensors can be switched out
• Calibrated before each day’s use
• Colorimetric Gas Detection Tubes and Pump
• Used for rapid detection and measurement of contaminants in air.
• Sealed glass tubes containing an inert solid or granular material such as silica gel, alumina, resin, or ground glass
• Inert material is impregnated with or mixed with one or more reagents which change color when specific types of air contaminants are introduced
• Examples
• Ammonia
• Carbon Dioxide
• Benzene
TYPES OF EQUIPMENT
MARINE CHEMIST CERTIFICATE
• When the Marine Chemist is satisfied
that the related requirements
necessary for the safe conduct of the
work have or have not been met, a
Marine Chemist’s Certificate is
prepared in accordance with NFPA
306
• Essential that the cert is written legibly,
includes the instrument test results for
all spaces tested including adjacent
spaces
MARINE CHEMIST CERTIFICATE
• Any additional requirements or qualifications necessary for the work to be performed safely must be specified on the Certificate, such as:
• The frequency and type of such
additional tests, inspections and
qualifications.
• Other instructions to maintain safe
conditions throughout the duration
of the work, such as the need for a
fire watch.
• Conditions under which the Marine
Chemist shall be consulted or
recalled.
• Protective equipment and devices
necessary to eliminate or minimize
hazards that could be present from
combustibles, protective coatings, or
residues from cargoes.
NFPA 306 “STANDARD SAFETY DESIGNATIONS”
• Atmosphere Safe For Workers
• Enter With Restrictions
• Not Safe For Workers
• Safe For Hot Work
• Safe For Limited Hot Work
• Not Safe For Hot Work
• Inerted
• Inerted For Flammable Compressed Gas
• Safe For Shipbreaking
• Safe For Lay-up
LOST PROPERTY
FATALITIES
PROTECTING PROPERTY
HOW TO BECOME A MARINE CHEMIST
• Register as a Marine Chemist Trainee & be accepted by the
Marine Chemist Qualification Board.
• While a Trainee, shall have completed at least 6 months of
supervised training in all tests and inspections required prior to the
issuance of a MC certificate.
• At least 3 Marine Chemists shall directly supervise this training.
Each shall supervise at least 40hrs of the applicant’s shipboard
training.
• In addition, each applicant shall have completed at least 3 years
experience, as follows:
• 1yr or more full-time employment in the analysis of physical samples
similar to those routinely analyzed by MC. This employment is to be
a laboratory or other similar work environment acceptable to the
Board.
HOW TO BECOME A MARINE CHEMIST
• The remaining time, but not less than 1yr, must be in full-time employment in marine construction or repair, or in another marine industrial environment acceptable to the Board.
• Each Trainee, shall have not less than 300hrs of supervised training aboard a variety of types of both ocean-going and inland vessels.
• Applicant shall have at least a Bachelor’s Degree from a college or university accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education of the United States.
• College level courses must be taken with passing grade:
• 2 semesters or 3 qtrs. of general inorganic chemistry w/labs
• 2 semesters or 3 qtrs. of organic chemistry w/labs
• 1 semester or 2 qtrs. of analytical chemistry w/lab, including instrumental analysis
• 1 course in industrial hygiene sampling and analysis
HOW TO BECOME A MARINE CHEMIST
• Applicant shall satisfactorily complete the then current approved
Marine Chemist training curriculum (18 modules).
• Each Applicant shall complete to the Board’s satisfaction an
examination on the Standard and applicable United States
Coast Guard (USCG) and OSHA regulations, and other
technically related or appropriate standards, rules, or regulations
considered necessary by the Board.
• A personal thesis outlining the Applicant’s knowledge of those
items as assigned by the Board.
• Applicant shall have a personal interview with the Board for
“Initial Certification” once all Trainee requirements have been
completed and approved by the Board.
THE BOTTOM LINE…
• The maritime industry trusts the NFPA Certificated Marine Chemist to verify safe conditions for work and prescribe requirements necessary to maintain those safe conditions throughout the duration of the work.
• The safety and health of shipyard workers, repair contractors, tank cleaners, vessel crew members, marine surveyors, marine inspectors and USCG personnel depend on the work done by the Marine Chemist.
• Vessel owners and shipyard employers rely on the Marine Chemist to protect their personnel from dangerous atmospheres and protect their property from fires and explosions.
Thank you and don’t
forget…Safety First!
Marine Chemists of Galveston, LLCJeff Zile CMC #700 (409-744-3537);
Robert R. Rodriguez CMC #730
(409-771-4320); [email protected]